10th Avenue Corridor Project: Health Precinct

As a growing number of people walk, cycle, and drive along 10th Avenue, the experience for all road users has declined. To address safety concerns, the City began engaging the public on potential improvements for this corridor in 2015. Staff worked collaboratively with local stakeholders and facility users to ensure a final design that prioritizes patient access, enhances pedestrian safety, and supports critical hospital functions.

Construction of the safety improvements will take place in two phases, starting with the highest priority changes. Phase one will include upgrades from Oak to Willow Street, with minor changes also planned between Cambie and Ash Street. We’ll provide updates to residents, businesses, and other health precinct stakeholders during construction.

Contact the project team

Get project updates

Past updates

Read about our consultation process to upgrade the 10th Avenue Corridor and view open house displays.

Key issues for the Health Precinct

We are committed to ongoing improvements and issue resolution. A 10th Ave Health Precinct Evaluation Committee will evaluate the project’s impacts following implementation and recommend spot improvements.

What we heard

We heard from patients that getting to the hospital by transit is challenging. Currently, public transit does not travel on 12th Ave or 10th Ave, which means those using transit to access the Health Precinct must enter from Cambie, Oak, or Broadway.

Help Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) create a new surface parking lot at the corner of Ash St/10th Ave with accessible access to 10th Ave.

Continue to work with precinct partners to improve the area’s general visitor parking.

We have worked closely with Vancouver Coastal Health and Blusson tenants to find interim solutions for patient parking, including maintaining some disability parking on site.

Aid local resident access by:

Retaining resident permit parking and reassign the 900-block of 10th Ave, where possible.

Reassign this block to the Oak West Residential Parking Permit Zone.

What we heard

We heard that distance of parking to the final destination can be a key concern for people with mobility challenges who are leading independent lives and cannot expect to be dropped off.

Background

Parking implications

On-street parking stalls in Health Precinct

Existing

Proposed

Passenger loading

8

20

Meter parking

157

64

Disability metered parking

1

11

On-street resident permit parking

21

17

New off-street surface parking lot

0

116+

Total

187

228+

In addition to on-street parking, there are approximately 4,400 existing parking stalls located in parkades and parking lots within the Health Precinct. These stalls are not impacted by the improvements to 10th Ave.

The City will continue to work with VCH on access, circulation, and parking in the Health Precinct through the VGH Master Plan rezoning process.

What we heard

Future hospital uses should be taken into consideration. We heard that people would like us to continue monitoring the area and use it as an opportunity to further develop best practices through research partnerships.

Improve cycling routes

Improve cycling routes

Recommendations

Improve alternate bike routes to allow people to bypass the Health Precinct including:

14th Avenue

Off-Broadway bike route such as 7th Avenue

A new north-south route west of Oak St

Create an environment where people of all ages and abilities feel safe and comfortable cycling by:

Installing raised bike lanes on both sides of 10th Avenue

Improving street crossings

Encouraging slower cycling

Actively promote the new routes through construction

Why we think this is a good idea

The Vancouver Cycling Safety Study (2015) highlighted 10th Ave bike route as having a high number of reported collisions relative to other routes.

Improved cycling routes will provide attractive alternative options for people travelling by bicycle east-west along the Broadway Corridor. Improvements to 10th Ave will provide safe and comfortable travel for people cycling to the Health Precinct.

What we heard

Alternative routes are needed for people cycling in through the area to destinations that aren’t the Health Precinct.

What we heard

Providing safe access for vulnerable patients is a high priority. We heard that trees lining 10th Ave are a signature element of the street. Also, there were concerns that new trees may pose a hazard to people with mobility challenges, if too close to passenger loading zones and along sidewalks.

What's changed for the Health Precinct

Following the public open houses in November, we undertook a joint review of the Health Precinct with Vancouver Coastal Health, BC Cancer Agency, and Provincial Health Services Authority to further improve accessibility. The additional changes made to the plans since November include:

Maintaining two-way vehicular travel on 10th Ave west of Ash St (previous proposal was west of Willow St)